Some people claim that A Quiet Place: Day One is the most intense film of the year. Umm, no. That honor goes to Civil War which took me some time to recover from. But the new Quiet film comes in a close second place. Ironically, the theater which showed my preview screening was the same one where I watched Civil War. When I realized that, I had to wonder why I was doing this to myself.
This isn’t Quiet Place 3 as it doesn’t continue the story of the first two movies. And it isn’t necessary to have watched the previous two Quiet Place films either. It is sort of a prequel with events that take place before the others. The only thing you really need to know and is not really addressed this time around; people have to remain super quiet or they’re toast. The monsters either can’t see or just have trouble seeing, but their hearing is exceptional. Oddly enough, the new characters figure this out this pretty quickly on their own. Of course, there’s always one or two who don’t know how to read the room.
While the subject matter is the same, this is a whole new story. There is only a little connection to the second film. (It’s pretty subtle, some fans of the series might even miss it.) John Krasinski has written the scripts for all three movies and directed the first two. Michael Sarnoski co-wrote the third installment and sat in the director’s chair. John must be proud as the series continues on with his style of story-telling. Like the others, it relies more on great storytelling rather than gore.
Instead of telling a “big” story with multiple attacks of large groups of people, Krasinski chose instead to focus on one family’s experience. This intimate story entailed the misadventures of a family struggling to survive while living remotely in the country. The surroundings of the new story couldn’t be more different as it takes place in New York City where it is much more difficult to find a “quiet place.” However, this film also tells an intimate story and this time it mostly centers on just one person: Samira.
While dying of cancer, Samira (Lupita Nyong’o) spends her last days in a depressing hospice home. Reuben, one of the home’s counselor’s (played by Alex Wolff), tries to raise her spirits by taking her to a live show in the city. She initially declines Reuben’s offer but then agrees as long as there is a stop at a “real” pizza parlor before going back home. So, Samira gets dressed and takes Frodo, the world’s best cat, as her plus one.
After a little foreshadowing of what is to come while on route to the theater, after the show, Reuben is told to bring the residents back home as “something is happening in the city.” Then all hell breaks loose. In utter chaos, Samira struggles to get around while holding onto Frodo. The look of sheer terror and surprise on her face makes this fantastical story really come alive.
While on her journey, Samira notices that she is being followed by Eric (Joseph Quinn), a shell-shocked English law student who appears to have nowhere to go. She doesn’t really befriend him but allows him to continue to follow her around the city. In between dodging aliens, the two develop an unlikely friendship which would not have happened otherwise. Strangely, he’s afraid of dying while she is afraid to live. Nyong’o and Quinn both give outstanding performances which really elevates this movie. It’s really some of Lupita’s best work to date. And while I’m at it, here’s a shout out to that nearly perfect (and frankly unbelievable) cat. Some of his scenes are a little silly, but enjoyable.
Like other horror movies, there is a heaviness that hangs in the air while watching Day One. It’s a feeling of dread that never really goes away. You never really feel at ease until the credits go up the screen. However, unlike other horror movies which end on a tragic note, this one does the opposite. Okay, this isn’t exactly what one would call a happy ending, but one with a sense of hope, which is enough to let you breathe again as you leave the theater.
While this third movie in the franchise comes with a fresh new angle, I don’t know how many more of these Krasinski can write. There’s only so much you can do with these Quiet Place movies before one runs out of ideas. Even with this outing, some of troupes start to feel routine. But it’s still a great film that is worthwhile to see.
Main Image: Paramount Pictures
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